Jealousy is a Sin
by When Cady Met Juno
Summary: With everything changing in the the new year, will Massie & Derrick continue or will Massie fall for a new skater boy hawwtie...? Meanwhile...what measures would Claire stoop to in order to get Cam back...she won't possibly go to Plan B...would she? R&R!
1. It's time to meet the characters

**Dylan Marvil:** Is totally in luh-ve with the new boy, Konner. But really, what's not to love? So what if he's older? It's only a year! But, get this. Rumor has it that that Konner plans to ask an eight-grader to the winter dance—only she doesn't know who. Could it be...her?

**Kristen Gregory:** Is getting over Mr. Black Death and turning back to her normal, chick-flick-and-soccer-loving self. Found out that the shy cutie that sits next to her in English is totally crushing on her. She should be happy... right? So why can't she seem to get over Griffin?

Claire Lyons: Hates the new year! No matter how many schemes she tries, Cam's still ignoring her! The only guy she seems to attract is that brunet that used to like Massie! Hey, who says Claire Lyons can't take off her angel wings and halo every once and a while...

**Alicia Rivera:** Is totally bored. She's not the only one in the TPC that's ignoring the boy fast, but now she wishes she could. Josh just seems so…boring, especially compared to the flood of hawt new Briarwoods. Maybe being a reporter isn't so bad after all...

**Massie Block:** Is officially turning over a new leaf. So what if Derrington broke up with her? Thanks to, Chris Abeley she's experiencing a new crowd of HARTs—but not the kind she's used to. But, seriously, how many cute soccer players are there? And _who_ says skater boys can't be HARTs...?


	2. What ever happened to the boy fast?

Octavian Country Day School

The Café

Monday, September 20th

12:46 p.m.

The girls were sitting at Table 18—their usual table. Dylan was adding fat-free hazelnut syrup onto her six-ounce cup of low-fat dulce de leche fro yo. Alicia nibbled the edges of her California rolls before putting it down and adding a few more dollops of wasabi on them. Kristen sprinkled a shower of brown sugar onto her mango & grilled shrimp salad before popping a piece of olive-oil-covered of cilantro into her mouth. Claire was slurping milk from the bowl as her chocolate Rice Krispies snapped, crackled, and popped violently. Massie was the only one without an appetite. How could she possibly eat when Derrington and the rest of the soccer team were sitting two tables away from them?

"Ugh." Massie pushed her zucchini-and-unprocessed Cornish game hen on toasted rye and plunked her elbows on the glossy glass tabletop. Ever since the Briarwood boys—yes, they would still be called the Briarwood boys—had flooded in, Principal Burns had decided to have some decency for a change and, instead of hauling Briarwood's musty crap over, gave the entire school a makeover. But, according to Alicia, every member staff had each salvaged pieces of furniture each, before donating the unwanted rest to the Salvation Army. "Cam and that guy in the green keep looking over. Jerks!"

Claire stopped mid-slurp and looked up from the glass bowl, chocolate milk running down her chin. "_What?_ _Cam?_"

"Ew!" Massie pinched a napkin with the tips of her fingers and dangled it in front of Claire's nose. "Wipe your face!" she instructed. "You have chocolate milk smeared across your face!"

"Sorry…" Claire muttered, swiping a hand across her face. She could feel her cheeks turn red. But, really, what else could she do when the leader of the most elite clique in OCD caught her with a milk beard? No matter how popular she was on the charts—_Dial L For Loser_ had scored a whopping number eleven on America's Top 40 Movies chart—or in the movie, itself, the _real_ Claire Lyons wasn't alpha material, more like a newcomer to Westchester and the Pretty Committee.

"What're you waiting for?" Massie hissed. She dropped the scalloped napkin onto the edge of the cereal bowl. "Hurry up and clean yourself up! The Briarwood boys—_Cam_—are like three feet away and you're stunting our popularity growth with your bearded lady act! Don't you have any dignity?"

Claire could feel her cheeks grow even warmer as she dabbed the drops of milk with her pink Juicy tracksuit's sleeve. She snuck a look at the rest of the girls. Kristen was flipping through her color and subject coordinated spiral bound, Dylan was eating one of Alicia's California rolls, and Alicia was looking at her perfect French nails. _Of course,_ Claire thought to herself,_ why would you guys want to interfere with Massie's wrath? Why would you wanna get ripped to shreds?_ After a few months with the PC, Claire had learned that messing with Massie when she was PMS-ing was a big Out in the Dealing with Massie guidelines section on their PalmPilots.

"What's up with—" Massie reached into her shiny white Prada Cervo Pleats hobo and pulled out a Chocolate Pecan Pie Luna Bar "—you guys today?" She took a bite and promptly made a face. "Ew! I knew I should've stuck with Chocolate Raspberry." She tossed it onto her partly nibbled sandwich and leaned back against the chair. Crossing her arms across her chest, she looked directly at Alicia. "How was physical science?"

Alicia looked up—startled—from her perfect nails and stabbed her chest with one of her French manicured talons. "W-who, me?"

Massie nodded primly, like a queen.

"Oh, it was totally booooring. Curtis had us studying atomic models and apparently Bohr's model was like a better—"

"I hear you sit next to Josh," Massie cut in smoothly. Her eyes glittered dangerously but her voice was still as smooth as the DJ on love songs on the coast. "And apparently Curtis gave _open_ seating."

Alicia looked from side to the side (like a cholo!), her brown eyes wide. No one returned her gaze except Massie, the rest apparently much to absorbed in Claire's chocolate gummy bears. "Uh..."

Massie reached across Kristen to gather a fistful of gummy bears from the bag. "I thought we agreed to be on a boy fast," she said lightly.

"Well...he asked me..." Alicia ran her hand through her thick black hair and chewed on her lower lip. All her peach Nars lip gloss had rubbed off, leaving her with plump pink lips. "And he is good in science. You know, easy A?"

Massie rolled her eyes and dumped the rest of the uneaten chocolate-covered gummies on Kristen's notebook. "Puh-lease, Leesh." She shook her head. "It's enough you're selfishly ignoring the boy fast but, really, Josh?" She half-smiled and narrowed her eyes. "No wonder your parents are both Cancers."

Dylan and Claire laughed tonelessly.

"But, Massie, how are we supposed to have a boy fast when a million boys came pouring in?" Alicia threw up her arms.

Massie rolled her eyes. "Come awn, Leesh, it's not that hard! I mean, you don't see me sitting next to boys or flirting or—" She was cut off by a choppy-haired brunet picking up her tote and skateboarding towards the other end of the cafeteria. Massie could feel everyone's eyes on her and secretly congratulated herself for wearing her new Joie Continuum cami mini dress. The two-hour chill had finally paid off.

"Uh, Mass? Cute skater boy is waving at you," Kristen whispered.

Sure enough, the boy had parked his butt on Table 26, dangling Massie's Prada tote between two fingers, and beckoning towards her with his free hand.

"Ugh." Massie rolled her eyes for believability and discreetly batted a few strands of hair away from her face. "I better go see what he wants. Hold on, 'kay?"

As Massie walked off—her Brian Atwood Whip Snake pumps slapping against the tiled floor—Alicia leaned towards Dylan and whisper-asked, "Does this mean the boy fast's on hold?"

Dylan's eyes followed the guy holding the tote high in the air, patting the chair next to him and Massie rolling her eyes and trying not to smile. "No, I think it just means the boy fast is officially off."


	3. hidden dragon, crouching tiger

**Hello again! Cady here! So, just to make things clear, no, Liam IS NOT the same as the Liam in It's Not Easy Being Mean. He's actually modeled after a mixed blood hella hottie who's the cousin of my gorgeous best friend. xD**

**Anyway, I have no life whatsoever so i wrote another chapter. I would love it if you lovely reviewers would write how i can improve this story with your reviews.**

**Thanks! 3 When Cady Met Juno**

**Octavian Country Day School **

**Block and Rivera Locker**

**Monday, September 20th**

**2:06 p.m.**

"I can't believe we have to share lockers just 'cause the Briarwood boys." Alicia slammed the purple and turquoise locker shut.

"Not to mention those ah-nnoying Euro imports." Massie rolled her eyes before turning back to her reflection in her limited-edition Estee Lauder twinkling pink powder compact. "I mean pathetic much?" She applied two coats of Nars lip gloss and dipped the wand back. "How do I look?" she asked, smacking her sunset strip-colored lips together.

Alicia giggled, "Fierce."

Massie smiled and snapped her compact shut, dropping it into her bag. "BTW, have you seen Kuh-laire? I haven't seen her since the whole lunch incident." Massie shifted from one Miu Miu sandal to the other. Could Alicia tell she felt guilty? Hopefully not. Guilt was so nawt hawt.

Alicia shrugged and slung her black Valentino Histoire patent bag over her shoulder. "I don't know. I haven't seen her since art. And that was, like, an hour ago."

Massie narrowed her eyes. "You don't think..."

Alicia gasped. "You mean... Cam?"

Massie nodded.

"Are you guys talking about Claire?" Kristen suddenly appeared by Alicia, spreading her Victoria Secret's Blossoming Romance perfume around. Massie could feel her eyes start to water. Hopefully, Kristen would soon get over her I'm-so-over-being-Miss-Black-Death-act. She was running out of waterproof mascara.

"Uh-huh." Alicia's voice sounded funny, as if she was pinching her nose as she spoke. "Know where she is?"

"She said she left something in pottery, and told me to tell you guys."

Massie stopped sifting through her tote for a tissue to blot her tears. "Wait. Claire doesn't even take pottery! She has art with Leesh!"

Kristen's Bobbi Brown Creamy eye pencil-lined aqua eyes widened and her mouth hung open. "Seriously?"

Alicia turned sharply towards Massie. "You don't think she…?"

Massie scowled. "I think she did."

An awkward silence hung in the air, like one of those pinstripe umbrellas that covered those glass tables in front of the Sandwich Shoppe.

"OMG guys!" Dylan rushed to them, her orange-and-pink Tory Burch Logo flip-flops_thwack_ing against the tiled floor. "You would nawt believe just what just happened to me!" Dylan said breathlessly, slapping a hand to her heart. She waved her venti vanilla bean Frappuccino in the air. "I just…" She shut up when Alicia's elbow jabbed her ribs. "Did I miss something?" she muttered to Kristen.

Kristen widened her eyes at Massie and mouthed, "Claire ditched us for Cam."

Dylan's emerald eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect _O_.

"Let's find her," Massie uttered calmly.

"And then what?" Alicia ventured.

"Nothing." Massie's lips formed a thin smile. "I owe her for the milk comment." She paused. "And I owe _you guys_ for me breaking the boy fast."

"Does that mean I can borrow your yellow Vince dress?" Kristen asked hopefully.

"The clip dot dress?"

Kristen nodded.

Massie rolled her eyes. "Yellow isn't my color. You can have it."

Kristen widened her eyes. "No joke?"

Massie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Go ahead and claim that and whatever you want—that's in the east side of my closet."

"I love you!" Kristen squeaked, lunging at Massie for a bear hug.

Massie rolled her eyes again. "And Dylan, you can have my Chloe Bay hobo."

Dylan gasped. "You mean it?"

Massie nodded. "As long as you don't hug me and spill your Frappuccino on my dress." She glanced at Alicia and half-smiled. "And Leesh, you can have my Chloe bubble dress." Massie rolled her eyes. "It looks ten times sexier on you than me."

Alicia's brown eyes widened. "But you just got that! And it's, like, three times more expensive than K & D's."

Massie grinned slyly. "Don't worry; I'll take your new Ella Moss cropped jacket and you're Rachel Roy jeweled silk watercolor dress for it."

Alicia considered Massie's offer. "Fine. But add those Ippolita topaz drop earrings you never wore."

"Fine." Massie shook hands with Alicia. "Can we puh-lease look for Kuh-laire now?" she begged. "If Kuh-laire isn't home with us my mom's probably going to think we ditched her, like last year. Or threw milk at her."

The girls stifled a chuckled at the memory of Claire covered with food.

"Okay, Kristen, check the fields, the gym, and the pool. Leesh check the Café and Starbucks and the nurse's office. And Dylan, check Classrooms 1 to 50 and I'll check the rest. If you get done with your sections just look around." Massie tapped her tote. "If any of you guys find her just text me, 'kay?"

"'Kay," the girls said in unison.

"Let's met up by Starbucks," Kristen suggested.

Dylan tossed her finished Frappuccino into the nearby trashcan. "Whoever comes last treats us to warm almond biscotti and Fraps!" she declared. Everyone looked at Alicia.

"And owes us a purse!" Kristen chimed in, tucking a strand of her dirty blond hair behind her ear. "I need matching bag for Massie's—I mean _my_—new Vince dress! I saw this super-stylish one from _Teen Vogue_. I think its Gucci or Prada or something."

"Make mine shoes!" Dylan cried. "I still need a pair of shoes that actually matches my new Dolce & Gabbana bow dress. I already have a matching bag." She grinned at Massie.

"And I was planning to buy these Oliver Peoples 20th Anniversary sunglasses," Massie added.

Alicia gritted her teeth. "When Kuh-laire gets bad I swear, I'm going to kill her." She stalked off, shuffling her Jimmy Choo Kel Leather slide sandals along the tiled floor, which was considered to be "running" for her.

"You know," Dylan laughed, "I think this is why Alicia gets new shoes every week. All that shuffling must really grind the heels."

Kristen snickered. "She barely even _'shuffles'_ though. Frankly, I think this is_ why_ OCD renovated the flooring in the first place."

"Less talking, more looking," Massie barked.

Kristen and Dylan instantly shut up and headed towards opposite directions.

Massie shook her head. "Why did I wear these shoes?" The black rhinestones were digging into her flesh, and the shoes in general weren't broken in to. "If these shoes weren't so damn nice, I would take a hammer and smash it into pieces." She took another couple of steps. _Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow—wait. Why is there a tugging feeling on my left foot? _

She turned around to get a better look. Her left heel was stuck in something mushy—Big League Chew, to be exact. _Stupid Briarwood boys._ She made a mental note to punch Cam twice as hard.

Digging her right heel on the floor, she braced herself and—grabbing hold of the edge of a vending machine—pulled. Her foot slid out of the half-a-size-to-big sandal and she felt herself falling...

...onto the back a familiar blond with knobby lavender knees and painstakingly ugly tiger-print shorts.

Massie gulped and hoped that Derrick wouldn't turn around. Ugh. Derrick turned around.

Somehow in the midst of all this, Massie ended up with her face squashed against Derrick's chest. Okay, maybe she kinda enjoyed it—but it was still totally gauche! And she would rather to be anywhere but here—practically barefooted, pressed against her ex-boyfriend who had broken up with her (and accused _her_ of being immature!), in the middle of the western hallway, with her ex-boyfriend's perverted friends staring (and jeering) at them while they were in an inept position. Fabulous.

And the most ah-nnoying thing was that Derrington—no, oops _DERRICK_, now that he lost his HART appeal to Massie (well, the Toned part, at least) seemed perfectly chipper.

"Oh, hey, Massie. You know, if you missed me that much you could've called or IM-ed me." Derrick grinned and glanced at his friends with the corner of his eye. "You didn't have to purposely run into me."

Kemp Hurley and Danny Robbins busted out laughing. They high-fived each and smacked Derrick's shoulder blade.

Massie gritted her teeth and shoved his chest so he had to step away from her. Hopefully—she prayed to Gawd—some hottie would swoop in and rescue her from this totally gauche moment. _Yeah right_.

"If I really did want to talk to you, then I wouldn't have blocked you, would I?" Massie hissed. She instantly hated herself for the lame comeback.

Derrick laughed as if that was the cutest thing he ever heard. "Aww, isn't that sweet? Massie's still mad that I called her immature, guys!" He wiggled his butt. Massie wanted to stomp on his scuffed slip-ons, but she didn't want to add to her already present humiliation. And she didn't want to break her new (and gumfree) Miu Miu satin T-strap jeweled sandal's heel. It had already caused her enough pain to walk in it today.

"Oh! Massie just got _owned_!" Kemp shouted. "See how it feels to be rejected now, Massie?"

Massie wished the stupid Spiral hat jammed on Kemp's fluffy mud-colored curls was real so the dragon could breathe fire and roast Kemp and the rest of Derrick's dipshit friends.

"Ew!" Massie scrunched her nose up. "Have you been making out with Olivia too much? 'Cause now you're not just ugly, but you're also stupid."

Everyone but Derrick and Kemp started laughing hysterically.

"Hey Massie, I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you." Derrick rolled his eyes. "I mean, I was the one that broke up with you, _membro_?"

Massie rolled her eyes and laughed through her perfect J-shaped nose. "The only thing broken about you is your Italian. _Membro_ means member, not remember. _Capire?_" Massie half-smiled. "That means _understand _in case you forgotten."

Everyone's snicker was silenced by Derrick's glare. The entire group glanced at each other and all inconspicuously took a few steps back.

Derrick scowled and clenched his hand into a fist. "Oh yeah?" he snarled. "If you're so _perfetto_ then why don't you have a boyfriend? At least I have girls chasing after me."

"Impressive." Massie smiled coolly. She did the golf-clap she seen people do at one of William's golf tournament. Somehow it just seemed right at an awkward time like this. "You actually got a word right."

Derrick was unfazed. Now it was his turn to smile. "Lemme guess," he snickered. "You don't have a boyfriend, do you?" He stepped closer, his voice softening as his caramel-colored eyes searched Massie's face eagerly. "Do you…?"

"I-I…"

"What's the matter, Block? Are you ashamed of letting the world know we're dating?" someone cut in. Massie felt someone's muscular arms slide across her freezing shoulders. Wait, she knew this voice— not to mention cologne. Diesel Fuel For Life EDT.

"You guys are dating?" Derrick said tightly.

Massie glanced at Liam and back at Derrick. "Uh..."

Derrick's group of friends were ripping open bags of Cracker Jacks and chips and stuffing fistfuls of food into their mouths.

"I bet you five bucks Massie will choose Liam," Danny whispered to Nathan, through a mouthful of Hot Cheetos.

Nathan considered it for a moment. "Deal," he said after a while.

Liam glanced lazily at Derrick and then turned back to Massie, bringing her closer. "Obviously. Did you not see us at lunch or something?"

"Never mind," Nathan whispered back to Danny. "I take the bet back."

Massie rolled her eyes. "And you call me dateless."

"Oh, hey, I think this belongs to you." Liam grinned and handed the sandal—which was somehow gumfree—to Massie.

"OMG! Thanks!"

"'OMG! Thanks!'" Derrick said in falsetto. To Massie he spat, "You already tried that with that gay dude—Chris or whatever. Now this?" He shook his head. "It's getting stale, you know?"

Massie glared at him.

Liam narrowed his hazel eyes at Derrick. "Come on, Massie," he murmured in her ear. "Let's go."

"Gladly," Massie snapped back, glaring at Derrick. Slipping Liam's arm with hers, she stalked off.

Derrick stared back at them, his forehead vein pulsing, hands clenched, and teeth gritted.

"Yo!" Kemp shouted. "Does this mean I win the ten bucks?!"

Gabriel smacked his stomach. "Shut up, man," he uttered. 

**Octavian Country Day School**

**The Red Rose Garden**

**Monday, September 20th**

**2:26 p.m.**

"Thanks for the shoe." Massie could feel herself blush. Here she was, sitting with Liam—who she had just met at lunch when he had jacked her bag—possibly one of the sexiest HARTs from OCD, who had practically declared himself to be her boyfriend in front of Derrick. And he had rescued—and cleaned!— her Miu Miu sandals for her! Cinderella much?

"Hey, no problem." The corner of his lips curled up.

"So..." Massie hesitated. "Thanks for...what you told Derrick. It really got Kemp off my back."

Liam grinned and tossed his hair. "It's funny. Harrington used to be hella tight. But, it seems like, for a certain someone, he's..." Liam paused and smile. "I think you get the message?"

Massie grinned. "Hella?"

Liam chuckled. "It's what people call 'hyphy talk.'"

"I see."

"So..."Liam turned towards Massie. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?" Massie batted her Nars-mascara-covered eyelashes.

Liam laughed and nudged her. "Stop doing that! You look like a freaking valley girl!"

Massie giggled. "But I really don't know what to ask!" she whined.

"Okay, okay, I'll give you a hint." Liam raised a palm. He glanced at Massie and grinned. "Here, I'll even use a snobby Massie Block accent." He ignored the punch Massie gave him. "Okay. So when you just said, 'Are you ashamed of letting the world know we're dating?' did you really mean we're dating?"

Even though Massie wanted the earth to open up and suck her in, she couldn't help but to grin at Liam's accent.

"So…are we?" she whispered.

Liam grinned. "I dunno. Depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you'll punch me or not."

Massie scrunched up her eyebrows. "Why would I punch—" Before she could finish Liam leaned in and kissed her...

...staring out the Café's window, Derrick clenched his hand into a fist and crumpled his can of Red Bull.

**If you got ideas shout em out my fellow fanfictors! Please review! i promise, if you review i'll sned you a message. x**


	4. Boring buildup

_Hello my dears! Thank you for the lovely review! Heads up about this chappie: it's a build up chappie so it's not going to be that intresting. Sorry. Promise the next one with be drama-filled! xoxo, Cady_

"Hey—" Alicia slapped her palms onto the glass table as she fought to catch her breath—"did you hear?"

Massie barely looked up from her glowing Sidekick. Ever since the accidental smooch with Liam, they had been texting each other non-stop for the past twenty-four hours. Thank Gawd for unlimited texting.

"No I did not hear." Dylan tapped her mouth with her palm. "And before you ruin my appetite with another story of LBRs flirting let me digest my lunch first." She squirted reduced fat raspberry jelly over her cream cheese-slathered toasted poppy seed bagel.

Alicia sniffed. "Whatevs, _Snip_py Longstockings." She was referring to the Dylan's red French braids. "Not like you need any more calories!" she said loud enough for Dylan to hear. Dylan looked down at her mint-green-leggings-clad legs then back at her bagel. She immediately pushed the plate away.

Ignoring the verbal slap she had just given to Dylan, Alicia said, "Kris?" Alicia looked expectantly at Kristen, who had been surprising quiet during the entire exchange.

"Not now. Huge exam next period! If I flunk it, I die!" Kristen snapped as she flipped through her color-coordinated English Honors notebook.

"What?" Claire finally mumbled, poking the floating pieces of cereal with her spoon. The soggy Lucky Charms kept bobbing up, like mini islands floating in a milk bowl, instead of sinking.

Alicia rolled her eyes, dropped her Miu Miu next to Kristen's grilled chicken salad, and squeezed into the tiny spot next to Dylan. "Gawd, if you don't want to hear the latest Briarwood gossip, fine." Alicia rolled her eyes and pulled a Nutz Over Chocolate Luna Bar out of her purse.

"Who needs the Tomahawks when there's Liam?" Massie looked up from her Sidekick like she was peeking up from one of her new limited-edition Oliver Peoples sunglasses.

"Well, _suh-orry_ if we can't meet up to Liam's standards," Alicia muttered.

Dylan snorted softly while Claire flicked a soggy rainbow marshmallow into her melting strawberry smoothie. Even Kristen briefly looked up from her notes to exchange an eye roll with Dylan.

Massie rolled her eyes. No wonder jealousy was considered to be a deadly sin. "Fine. Tell us your big news." She slapped her purple-crystal-covered Sidekick onto the table and folded her hands. "Continue," she said in mock sweetness, widening her eyes as if Alicia's gossip was going to be front-cover _Star_-worthy.

Alicia rolled her eyes and popped another piece of Luna Bar into her mouth. "I'm surprised _you_ seem so casual about this. It _is_ Derrington we're tawking about."

"What about _Derrick_?" Massie tore off her Luna Bar's silver foil Dylan-style as she said his name.

If Alicia noticed she used the term "Derrick" instead of "Derrington" she didn't press the matter. "Okay, so you know those new French girls—Antoinette or Marisol or whatever, right?"

Massie rolled her eyes as if to say, "_What about them?"_ She sighed and tapped her nails against the table's glass, obviously impatient for Liam to respond."Didn't we agree that foreign imports are so … _trashy_?" She looked into Alicia's wide brown eyes when she over-pronounced "_trashy_", making it clear that she still wasn't completely forgiven about the whole "Nina the Obscena" semester.

Alicia blushed. "That was so _nawt_ my fault! How do you think I felt when she was flirting with _Josh_?"

"At least she didn't _kiss_ him," Dylan chuckled. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned to Claire, her emerald eyes wide with horror. "Oops."

Claire felt her stomach reenact the tornado scene in _The Wizard of Oz_. Her newly-tanned skin turned white then gray as she tried to swallow the squeak that threatened to escape from her throat.

"What were you saying about the foreign students?" Claire asked desperately, her voice cracking. The only thing worse than losing Cam was losing her friendship with girls who had the power to make her life a living hell.

Alicia glanced suspiciously at her, her eyebrows raised. "Um…"

"Continue." Massie butted in. She gave Claire a speedy let-me-handle-this look before smiling at Alicia. "Please." She patted Alicia's hand.

Alicia, obviously thrilled of capturing Massie's undivided attention, turned back to the alpha of the school, her glossy black hair swinging Pantene-style in Claire's face.

"Okay, so I was walking with Josh and then Derrington just suddenly pops out of no where and asks if he could talk to me for a sec…"

Massie rolled her eyes and reached for her Sidekick. "Congrats, Alicia. Now that you finally captured Josh's heart why don't you go for Derring—_Derrick_—now?" She paused, mid-grab, to shoot Alicia a frosty smilerk (smile-smirk). "Or as Nadia likes to say, 'Go _from_ it.'"

Alicia looked as stunned as the rest of the girls. "But I—"

Massie cut her off with an impatient smirk and a fake throat clear noise. "It's _really_ interesting and all, except—" Suddenly, as if understanding she sounded utterly too LBR-ish, she stopped, mid-sentence. An awkward silence hung in the air like one of Kemp Hurley's silent-but-deadly farts.

Claire glanced at Dylan who glanced at Alicia. Alicia turned to a preoccupied Kristen who did nothing but a shrug in return. No one had ever seen Massie Block have an awkward LBR comeback moment.

"Hey, Leesh, are you having a re-run of the time Delilah Wong wore the exact same outfit as you in the fourth grade?" Massie suddenly asked, her voice slicing through the silence like one of those flaming steak knives used at the Block's country club.

"No…" Alicia said slowly.

"Then why do you think I actually care about you're tacky rumors?" Massie rolled her eyes and slid a hand through her newly-razored brown bob. "The '_gossip_' you're '_investigating_' wouldn't make it to an issue of that _PennySaver_ crap Kristen subscribes to." She made air-quotes when she said "gossip" and "investigating", carefully avoiding Kristen's disbelief-filled aqua eyes.

Claire gasped. She understood Massie needed a snippy comeback to snap Alicia back into her rightful beta position—and her accidental stutter _had_ been totally un-alpha-like—but the Kristen comment was totally unnecessary. She snuck a peek at the petite blond beside her. Kristen's perplexed look had vanished and was replaced by a stony expression that covered her face like a heavy drama mask.

Dylan discreetly pinched Kristen's soccer-tanned elbow.

"Thanks a lot, Massie," Kristen mumble-snapped. She brushed Dylan's hand away with a small smile whispering, "I'm fine! Really!"

"What?" Massie looked from one girl to another, looking genuinely confused. "Did I say something wrong or something? Why do you guys keep giving me that look?" she demanded. "It's beyond ah-noying!"

"Can I _puh-lease_ just finish?" Alicia begged. She held her Jo Malone Amber Lavender body crème- applied hands prayer-style in front of Massie's face. 

Massie rolled her eyes and nodded.

"So as I was saying…me and Josh were walking together, right? And then Derrington comes out of no where and goes, 'Can I tawk to you?'" Alicia barely paused for breath. "And at first I was thought he was tawking to Josh, 'cause it's like why would he want to talk to me…"

"And then?" Massie pressed. "Why did Derring—_Derrick_—want to talk to you?" She instantly hated herself for sounding so desperate. To cover up her deadly mishap she grinned nonchalantly and added a breezy, "Being a perv as usual?" comment.

Alicia whipped her purse in front of her chest. "Opposite of yes!"

As the rest of the girls laughed, Massie's head throbbed. What did Derrick want with Alicia? She was the _beta_ for Gawd sake! Weren't alphas _always_ better than betas? Massie gasped. What if Derrick thought _Alicia _was _prettier_? She dug through her new Chloé Paddington Plexi bag, pushing past loose items for her compact. No. She suddenly stopped, dropping her Coach keychain-attached keys back into her bag. She wouldn't—_couldn't_—stoop to such measures. She was Massie Block, for Gawd sake, the uncontested, comeback-ready ruler of OCD. Nothing was ever going to change that. Nawt even Derrick Harrington.

"Mass, are you even listening?" Alicia whined, stomping an open-toed boot-clad foot.

Something in Massie snapped. Maybe it was the why-does-everyone-think-Alicia's-prettier anger that had been building up inside her ever since she had laid eyes on Alicia. Or maybe it was the fact that her ex was ready to forget about swiping her lip-virginity for some overly-big-chested Spanish beauty. Either way she was still furious. "Yes! Yes! And yes! Just _continue _tawking about my _ex-boyfriend_! Why should _I_ care? He's _only_ the guy that _I_ lost my _lip-virginity_ to! But, hey, what do a few _kisses_ mean anyway, right? So, just go and _lunge_ yourself at him! Why should _I_ give a crap?!"

Heads turned, random onlookers holding eco-friendly trays rubber-necked, chairs scraped against the tiled floors…it seemed like everyone—from jocks to the drama dorks (x), A-listers to LBRs—was trying to witness—or at least catch a glimpse—the Massie-breakdown.

Claire's mouth dropped open. She had never seen Massie lose her dignity like this before. Watching this was like the time beloved anchorwoman Rhea Osgood threw up her arms and shouted she'd rather quit than to do another Paris Hilton-related story. Random…totally unexpected…flat-out weird…and … and … _devastating_.

Alicia gasped and slapped both hands over her cherry red lips, shaking her head. "No! I so did nawt mean it like that!"

Massie took a couple of deep breaths and popped open an Evian, gripping the icy water bottle with shaking hands so they wouldn't "accidentally" find Alicia's neck and squeeze it until Alicia's eyes bulged. Taking a long, cleaning sip she willed herself nawt to cry. Why did she feel like crying anyway? It wasn't like she still felt_ anything_ for Derrington. And after he had tried to make her perform tasks in front of his pervy friends while bleating out apologies, there was no way she'd ever forgive him. _Ever._

Claire laid a reassuring hand on Massie's slightly shaking shoulder.

Massie shook off Claire's hand, full-on ignoring the kind gesture, and swiped her sweaty bangs, her eyes glued to Alicia like the way Inez did to one of her Spanish soaps. "Continue…"

Alicia glanced hesitantly at Dylan. "Uh…"

"Continue. Now," Massie said through gritted teeth. She gripped her purple crown charm.

"Well, so he asked if he could tawk to me, right?" Alicia snuck a look at Massie. "Well, I was all like 'Sure…whatevs…' but Josh came with me," she added hastily.

Massie tapped her mouth, her charms colliding with her sharp wrist bone. "Okay, this story is a total _snoozer_. I don't understand you, Leesh. Are you purpously trying to piss me—"

"He likes you, okay?" Alicia blurted, slamming her glistening palms on the table. "He wanted to ask me to if you still liked him but then Marisol or Antoniette or whatever came up to him and asked for his autograph so he couldn't finish!"

Massie's Dulce de Leche Glossip Girl-covered lips dropped open.

Claire dropped the brush she was holding, Kristen glanced up sharply from her notes, and Dylan stopped in mid-bite, Claire's super-size low-fat cheese stick farting out an excess of organic mozzarella.

"Say whaaaaaaaaaat?" Dylan burped, breaking the silence.

Everyone but Massie giggled, who swatted the annoying icebreaker away.

Alicia nodded triumphantly. "So how do you feeeel?" she asked, imitating Dr. Baum's, the school's therapist, buttery voice.

Massie rolled her eyes. Like she was going to confide her emotions with the PC. "I feel—" A familiar _bzzzzzzzzzzz_ of a purple crystal-covered Sidekick ruined the comeback, pissing off Massie and saving Alicia.

"Nawt again," Dylan mumbled, wiping her soy chips-stained hands onto her blue Marc Jacobs striped swim cover-up dress.

"How am I supposed to study with all these distractions?" Kristen muttered, more to herself than to everyone else.

"Hold that thought." Massie held up a palm in front of Alicia's perfect nose. She, with the casual looping lunge of a pro tennis player, reached past Claire's glass cereal bowl and grabbed her vibrating Sidekick, eager for Liam's response.

**Derrick: Massie, we need 2 talk. 3:30. Wrap Star.**

"What did Liam say?" Alicia asked eagerly.

Massie's mouth dropped open. In desperate need of a Chai latte she whispered,"It's nawt Liam."

Dylan glanced at the screen and smirked. "Speak of the devil."

"Ehmagawd!" Massie suddenly gasped. She licked her lips, desperate for some moisture in her mouth. She gripped Alicia's arm. "What should I do?" Nothing was more pathetic than an alpha begging for help, but right now Massie could care less. The future of her love life was in jeopardy.

"Tell him no," Alicia insisted. "He doesn't deserve you after what he's done."

"No!" Dylan snapped. She glared at Alicia. "That's why we don't have dates!"

Listening to the two bicker like a married couple was enough to annoy Massie to death but the only thing she could do was to stab her uneaten melting raspberry fro yo while glancing back and forth at the screen.

"Gimme the freaking phone!" With the speed of a pickpocket, Kristen snatched the glowing Sidekick out of Massie's hand.

**Massie: I'll B there **

"Kristen!" Massie wailed. "I hate you!" She slapped Kristen's muscular arms, the gesture inflicting more pain on her than Kristen.

"Maybe you guys can stop bickering now and let me study in peace!"

_Bzzzzzzzzz _

"What did Derringtom say?" Dylan leaned in eagerly. She twirled a curl.

Massie shooed her away impatiently and slowly read. Suddenly she clamped a hand over her glossy mouth. "Eh. Ma. Gawd." She tossed the Sidekick onto the table as if it was suddenly engulfed with flames and drew back.

"What?!" Everyone, even Kristen, crowded around her.

"Does he want to get back together?" Claire wanted to know.

"Look."

"Tell him you already have Liam!" Alicia flipped her hair. "You—"

"Just look!" Massie insisted.

The girls craned their necks for a better look, bashing their pimple-free heads against each other.

**Liam: One week anniversary 2morrow, baby boo. ******** I noe, hella tight, rite? Wrap Star at 4. I'll be waiting. Xoxoxo. **

Okay, right now I'm just creating drama. Sorry the chapter's such a snoozer. It's a build-up chappie. Lemme know what you think. Xoxoxo.


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